Animated GIF or WebP: which format for your listing?
You want to add an animated image to a listing and you are hesitating between a GIF and an animated WebP? Both do the same job: they cycle several images inside one file. The technical differences matter for a listing, though.
The comparison at a glance
| Animated GIF | Animated WebP | |
|---|---|---|
| Colors | 256 maximum | 16 million (true color) |
| Weight at equal quality | Heavy | Often 3–5× lighter |
| Photo rendering | Grainy, visible banding | Faithful to the original |
| Browser support | Universal | All modern browsers |
| Acceptance on classifieds sites | Historically listed | Varies by site (test yours) |
Why WebP wins for photos
GIF dates from 1987. Its 256-color palette suited drawings and logos, not photographs. A sky, a car's reflection or a fabric instantly turns grainy. Animated WebP keeps your photos' true colors in a much lighter file, so your listing loads faster and your photos stay sharp.
The honest word on compatibility
For display, every modern browser reads animated WebP. For uploads, each platform applies its own rules: some accept the file and keep the animation, others re-encode and freeze it on the first frame. The simplest check is a test on one of your listings. Either way, put your best photo in first position: if the animation is frozen, that is what will show.
In practice
Our slideshow maker generates animated WebP: your photos cycle in true colors inside a file automatically compressed under 1 MB, ready to be added to your listing like any photo.
Ready to try? Create your animated image in under a minute, free, no sign-up.
Create my animated image